Welcome to Nuts & Bolts for new leaders

1. Welcome to Nuts & Bolts for new leaders 7-18-11 mkl 8-2-2012 mkl

2. The work of today is the history of tomorrow and we are its makers…” Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low founder of the Girl Scouts

3. Session Agenda - participants will learn: • About Girl Scouting, Girl Scout structure and support • The steps in starting a troop • How to involve families • How to facilitate girl-led troops • How to manage troop finances • About possible troop activities • How to locate Girl Scout resources

4. Girl Scout Promise & The Girl Scout Law • The Girl Scout Promise • On my honor, I will try: to serve God and my country,To help people at all times,And to live by the Girl Scout Law. • The Girl Scout Law • I will do my best to be:honest and fair,friendly and helpful,considerate and caring,courageous and strong, andresponsible for what I say and do,and torespect myself and others,respect authority,use resources wisely,make the world a better place, andbe a sister to every Girl Scout. Volunteer Essentials p 4

5. Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE)

7. Here’s how we achieve our Mission Fun times in Girl Scouts + the 15 Leadership Outcomes we’ve promised girls

8. Girl Scout structure GIRLS

9. Levels of Girl Scouting Girl Scout Ambassadors 11th and 12th Graders Girl Scout Seniors 9th and 10th Graders Girl Scout Cadettes6th,7th, and 8th Graders Girl Scout Juniors 4th and 5th Graders Girl Scout Brownies 2nd and 3rd Graders Girl Scout Daisies K and 1st Graders Volunteer Essentials p 9

10. Contact and register the girls and adults, including yourself, for your troop. $12.00 annually for girls and adults Read Volunteer Essentials Attend Service Unit leader meetings and utilize the GSCO website www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org Become familiar with Safety Activity Checkpoints 1 2 4 Complete online Girl Scouting 101 Complete Nuts & Bolts New leader timeline 3 Start your meetings and have fun!! Select a bank Contact Membership Manager to: Request a troop number Request bank letter Obtain Troop Packet Open Troop Bank Account (Volunteer Essentials pp 52-53) Volunteer Essentials pp 78-80

11. Online registration www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org Go to the “for parents page” of the GSCO website and follow the link to online registration

12. On-line troop management • Troop leaders* can… • Register “New to Girl Scouts” troop members • Re-register troop members • Email troop members • Print troop rosters • Update troop meeting information *you must be approved as a leader by your membership manager to have access to this tool.

13. Your responsibilities - to girls • Build leadership in girls by letting them lead • Create a safe space for girls and adults • Be a positive role model • Share knowledge, experience and skills • Guide girls as they work on completing their Journeys • Use the three processes of the GSLE: girl-led, learning by doing, and cooperative learning • Provide guidance and information • Promote fairness & inclusion Volunteer Essentials pp 21; 24-25

14. Your responsibilities - administrative • Communicate effectively with girls, parents, volunteers, and staff • Ensure all girls and adults are registered members of GSUSA • Oversee proper management of troop funds • Maintain close connection to volunteer service unit support team • Take advantage of adult learning opportunities • Follow Girl Scout Safety Guidelines Volunteer Essentials p p24-25

15. Girl Scout Safety Guidelines • Follow the Safety Activity Checkpoints • Arrange for proper adult supervision of girls • Get documented parent/guardian permission • Report abuse • Be prepared for emergencies • Travel safely • Ensure safe overnight outings • Role-model the right behavior • Create an emotionally safe space • Ensure that no girl is treated differently • Promote online safety • Keep girls safe during money-earning activities Volunteer Essentials pp 22-23

16. Adult to girl ratios Volunteer Essentials p 21

17. Review • 1. Are adult volunteers required to register as members of GSUSA? • 2. How can leaders ensure that no girl is treated differently in the troop or group? • At a minimum, how many adults are required at all times at Girl Scout activities? • 4. What is the core curriculum of the GSLE?

18. How to facilitate Girl-led troops

19. Ten Essentials Elements of a Troop

20. Family involvement meeting • Welcome • Discuss Girl Scouting • Explain girl and adult expectations • Ask for help • Review meetings & procedures • Discuss dues • GSUSA dues (Girl Scout membership runs 10/1 - 9/30) • Troop dues • Complete membership registration forms Volunteer Essentials pp 65-66; 71

21. Troop team positions • Leader (01)/ Assistant Leader (02) • Troop Cookie Manager (03 TCM) • Transportation Manager • Record Keeper (03 secretary/treasurer) • Troop Helpers (volunteers or parents) • Positions require complete Volunteer Application process: Girl Scout registration, background checks, volunteer application, and references Volunteer Essentials pp 92-93

22. When and where to meet • How often should you meet? • - Once a week, semi-monthly or monthly? • For how long? • - 1 hour, 1 ½ hours, longer? • Where can your troop meet? • - Schools, libraries, community buildings, houses of worship, childcare facilities, etc. • - Check cost, safety, size, accessibility resources, bathrooms, potential allergens Volunteer Essentials p 53

23. Troop meetings: Six elements • Start-up activities • Opening/welcome • Troop business • Activities • Clean-up • Closing Volunteer Essentials Pp 93-94

24. Tools for troop management

25. A simple kaper chart

26. Troop meeting planner

27. Monthly planning calendar

28. Important Girl Scout days • Founder’s Day/ Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday (October 31st) • World Thinking Day (February 22nd) • Girl Scout Birthday (March 12th) • Third week in April – Volunteer Appreciation Week • National Girl Scout Leaders’ Day (April 22) • See your Adult Journey Guide for ceremonies and traditions Volunteer Essentials p 49

29. Review • 1. Why are kapers important for troop management? • List three places where troop meetings can be held. • When is Founder’s Day? • List two of the ten essential elements of a troop.

30. Troop finances

31. Troop bank account • Select a bank • Contact your Membership Manager for a bank letter • You will need a co-signer who: • Is unrelated • Is a registered Girl Scout • Has completed an application, reference check and background check • All troop financial, bank, and product sales records are open to every member of the troop, including parents, guardians and GSCO Council at any point in time. Volunteer Essentials pp 78-79

32. Helping troops/groups reach their financial goals • Set goals for money-earning activities • Create a budget • Determine how much the group needs to earn • Make a plan • Write it out • Keep financial records open and able to be viewed Volunteer Essentials pp 89-91

33. Troop money earning Must be program related and approved by Council The Girl Scout Cookie program and other sales -September – November: magazines, nuts and candy -January – March: cookies Group money-earning -Organized by the group, not the council - Planned and carried out by the girls -Requires approval by the Membership Manager Volunteer Essentials pp 82-87

34. Money earning • Goals are based on planning, budgeting amount needed to support planned activities • Personal safety of girls is insured • Girl participation is voluntary • Girl participation requires the written permission of parents/guardian • Girls and parents understand why money is needed • Troops observe all local ordinances • Money is safeguarded Volunteer Essentials p 82

36. Review • 1. Who do you contact once you have selected a bank for the troop account? • What is one of the best ways to support troop activities and reduce costs for girls and families? • True or false: girls must have written permission from their parent or guardian to sell cookies. • When are the annual troop reports due to your Membership Manager? • What are two things your troop should take into account when budgeting?

37. Outings and Field trips

38. Progression • The type and length of the outing and trip varies by the age and experience of the girls • Questions to ask when planning: • Are the activities appropriate for the age of the girls? • Are the activities appropriate for the personal, behavioral, and social development of the girls? • Are the girls ready for these activities? • Are the leaders ready for these activities? Volunteer Essentials pp 73; 97-99

39. Field trips • Signed permission slips must be completed for trips and activities outside of the normal meeting time and place. • An annual parent/guardian permission form is acceptableto travel or attend events within one-hour driving time of the regular meeting, not exceeding 6 hours in length, and not involving high risk activities. • Signed permission slips must be carried with adults/drivers along with health history forms for all girls. • Check for current drivers’ licenses and insurance of all adult drivers. • In Colorado, all girls under 8 years of age must be in a child restraint system when traveling by car (CO State Law). Volunteer Essentials pp 98-100

40. Planning Guidelines • Check Safety Activity Checkpoints • Girls plan in partnership with their leader/advisor on inclusive activities • While we hope that all girls can attend all events planned, make sure 75% of the troop are able to attend the planned trip • Activities need to be grade-level appropriate • Keep parents/guardians informed in the planning, especially if more money will be required from each girl to participate • Secure volunteers to meet adult-to-girl ratios Volunteer Essentials pp 100-105

41. Insurance • Every registered girl and adult member is covered for accidents by Basic Insurance • Girl Scout insurance does not cover non-registered Girl Scout participants including siblings, tagalongs, and unregistered adults • Girl Scouts of Colorado carries liability insurance to protect itself and persons acting on its behalf Volunteer Essentials P 74

42. First Aid • First Aid requirements are now based on how much danger is involved in the activity and how remote the area is from emergency medical services (EMS) and are strongly recommended to be taken. • Less than 15 minutes from EMS = First Aid level 1 • 15-30 minutes from EMS = First Aid level 2 • 30 minutes or more from EMS = Wilderness First Aid (WFA) or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Volunteer Essentials P 76

43. Events and series • Service Unit Events • Council sponsored events • Non-Council Events

44. Camps • Day Camp • Rendezvous / Core Camping • Girl Scouts of Colorado Resident Camp • As your troop gains in progression experience, additional training is required • Troop Camping

45. GSCO properties

46. Adult learning opportunities • Overnight Trips – required for trips of one or two nights (and pre-requisite for Cooking & Camping and Extended Trips) • Cooking and Camping – required for troops planning to cook or camp in the outdoors • Extended Trips – required for trips of three nights or more • Enrichment Workshops • Training Events • Springaganza • Fallapalooza Volunteer Essentials pp 27-31

47. Review • Name one Girl Scout property where troops can stay or camp once proper training is completed? • What is progression in Girl Scouting? • When is it appropriate to use the annual permission form? • What training is a prerequisite to take Cooking & Camping or Extended Trips?

48. Girl Scout resources

49. Resources • www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org • www.girlscouts.org • www.wagggsworld.org • Volunteer Essentials • Safety Activity Checkpoints • Girl Scouts of Colorado Service Centers • Service Unit team, other leaders, Membership Managers and other GSCO staff members • Customer Support Line at 877-404-5708 • GSCO newsletter signup is automatic with online registration

50. Questions?